Wine that's music to the ears and palate

An Austrian entrepreneur is pioneering wines that have been musically nurtured to give them that extra little something.

Marcus Bachmann, a veteran French horn player, has created a special speaker that can be submerged in grape juice as it ferments into wine.

The inspired Austrian holds that the sonic reverberations help the yeast cells to buzz around, thus absorbing more sugar and making an altogether superior vintage.

Bachmann has already joined forces with a team of wine producers. He's open to experimentation with a number of musical genres, be it jazz, classical or rock n roll.

That said, striking a patriotic note, he's kicked off by rustling up a range of Mozart-infused Pinot Blanc.

A second batch of local Zweigelt red wine has had the same treatment, this time via a focused medley of arias.

Whether or not the idea catches on remains to be seen. Academics from Vienna University have been quick to pooh-pooh the gimmick, describing the concept as spurious.